BUS companies need to remunerate bus drivers’ profits through their salaries so there is no room for them to steal. Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum made the comment in Parliament yesterday.
Opposition MP Prem Singh had asked Parliament whether Government intended to amend the Omnibus Electronic Fare Ticketing Act 2014, to remove heavy fines imposed on bus drivers who allowed passengers without eTransport cards.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Government was very cautious about the introduction of eticketing.
“As repeatedly been said by bus operators, that in their assessment, the main culprits so to speak — pilfer cash or bus fares are the bus drivers,” he said.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said bus operators emphasised a need for a particular set of rules and regulations to ensure that bus drivers stopped pilfering or taking cash after eticketing was introduced.
“Several bus companies have raised this with us on certain routes and one that was actually highlighted was the Veisari-Lami area where a lot of abuse going on.
“Passengers simply coming in, throwing money and walking away and that needs to be addressed.”
